Shadow Beings

10. A Plan

A warmth lay on my chest as I emerged from the dream. I opened my eyes, glancing at the area to see my locket glowing softly.

My locket. My mother gave this to me the moment I was born and I had never taken it off since. It had been there around my neck for twenty-three years. Twenty-three years.

And now, it was going to change my life, my definition of me.

My hands reached for the locket in a protective manner. My eyes blinked a few times as they adjusted to the bright light, seeing my team, Jack, Ava and Jay by my side with shared expressions of concern. I slowly started to get up and Galen moved his eyes with a look of disapproval.

I shook my head and he helped me up, attending to my wish. I smiled with gratitude before turning to the others with a solemn expression.

"Audrey, what happened?" Jack narrowed his eyes anxiously. "Your locket started glowing pretty strongly, I think all of us felt the effect it had on your aura. Galen tried to wake you up, but you were just... frozen."

I looked at Galen's face. He wasn't frowning and he didn't seem tense, but his eyes were exhausted and held a worried look. I stared into those gentle, grey eyes. Sometimes, mind-control isn't just influencing an array of signals; it's understanding the deepest thoughts of a person, and the eyes can touch upon their energy.

Galen caught me staring at him and gave me a tender smile, his kind look deepening. I returned it in a shy fashion before turning towards Jack.

"I... uh, met mum."

My energy coursed profusely as a shocked silence filled the room, no one moving even an inch.

"Is she..." Jack started, looking towards the ground. "Is she alive?"

An innocence accompanied his deep whisper, hope sparkling in his brown gaze. Hope to see our mother again. Hope to see her one last time.

Hope to embrace her one last time.

A terrible heaviness weighed on me at the thought of him not being able to speak to her. I hadn't seen such innocence in him ever since her death. I didn't wish to raise false hope and I knew Jack didn't truly believe that she could be alive, but hope was a funny little thing.

I looked towards the floor and shook my head, speaking in a soft but grim tone.

"I could sort of talk to her, sense her, but couldn't see her. I'm sorry, Jack. Her consciousness spoke to me as the matter was of great importance."

"Oh." Jack lowered his eyes in disappointment, returning to an indifferent expression. He always hid his emotions, supposedly not wanting to trouble others. Only our father - and of course Holly - ever managed to allow him to feel for himself. He always supported others, but he still was just a young Shadow.

Regaining his composure he asked, "What did she say?"

I filled them in with the prophecy, the details, everything. They all listened to me patiently, although I heard a few gasps in the middle. Conrad occasionally had to stop Evelyn from interrupting and Trina concealed her thoughtful expressions.

But Jay wasn't surprised, and I had a feeling he wouldn't be. He and my mother were practically siblings, surely he knew about her being an... angel?

It's all so surreal.

When I was done, no one said a word. I wasn't about to let confusion fill in, though, so I decided to speak.

"Jay," I started. "You knew about the prophecy, didn't you? And that my mother was an angel?"

"I know about the prophecy, yes, but not about Pranetra," he nodded, a hint of sorrow flickering across his eyes at her name. His tone was soft, and Trina frowned at the question. "All leaders of the Shadow-trapper learn this once they become the leader. When the Shadow Council existed, they knew about it too."